“He is a committed and fearless defender with an infectious level of controlled aggression when carrying out his duties and boasts the ideal set of physical attributes to thrive in the Scottish Premiership.

“At just 22, Iurie also has the potential to develop into a fantastic asset for the club further down the line. In the short-term, however, we have unwavering confidence in his ability to strengthen our backline across the next few seasons.”

The news of Sapsford’s arrival came a day after last season’s top scorer, Sam Dalby, signed for Bolton Wanderers having a rejected the chance to stay permanently with United after last season’s loan spell from Wrexham.

Sapsford himself previously played in England with Chester and netted 11 goals in 43 appearances for Wanderers.

“The addition of Zac represents a terrific piece of business for the club – to have a player of his calibre secured so early in the window is incredibly satisfying,” Goodwin said.

“He’s a dynamic forward with a killer instinct in the final third off both feet, or with his head, and also has the awareness to intelligently bring his team-mates into play.”

Goodwin believes Sapsford is a player “that will get our supporters out of their seats and we can rely on in big moments given his mentality and track record in those situations”.